SLU LAW Summations

As in recent terms, the United States Supreme Court is once again weighing cases that could have profound implications for the country, touching on questions of individual rights, government authority, and the future of American law. For this live recorded episode, we have gathered a handful of our faculty experts to discuss some of the most impactful cases in this session. Weighing in on the case...

Vaccine policy in the United States is experiencing a period of great change under the direction of Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Schedules for young children are being adjusted, access to certain vaccines is being limited, and reporting requirements are being reduced. These changes will certainly impact attitudes and policy for years to come. This topic is the sub...

The Trump Administration, alongside Iran, deployed targeted airstrikes against high-profile targets in Iran. This comes after weeks of talks between Washington and Iran on the latter's nuclear program. The public and political response has been mixed, with many concerned with the lack of Congressional authority and the regional flashpoints that are likely to ensue. The conflict is complex both pol...

The scaling back of federal administrative agencies currently being undertaken by the Trump Administration carries broad implications for the practice, administration, and enforcement of labor and employment law.

 At the most fundamental level, the reality of 200,000 fewer federal employees creates a strong likelihood of much less frequent enforcement of federal labor and employment laws. And thi...

This year's United States Supreme Court session has had a particular impact on health care access across the country. From the Skrmetti decision affirming a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, to the Planned Parenthood decision that allows states to bar access to federal Medicaid funding for that provider regardless of the procedure, and the Braidwood case that concerns preventative care mand...

The United States has a maternal mortality issue. In 2021, the U.S. ranked 55th in the world for maternal mortality, by far the worst of any higher-income country. Even more concerning, Black women are disproportionately impacted and experience maternal mortality 2.6 times the rate for White women. Beyond the lack of access and ongoing systematic racism, a wave of hospital mergers has increased co...

The United States appears to be poised to make one of the most substantial changes in foreign policy with the pause on funding to Ukraine amidst the third year of the conflict with Russia. To break down this change and reflect on the role of President Zelensky and President Trump, we are joined by Professor Monica Eppinger. Professor Eppinger is a member of the Center for International and Compara...

The Electoral College is a system unique to the Unites States democratic experience. And it has been a major topic of discussion for the last few elections with some calls to do away with it entirely. As we approach an election which could potentially be decided by just one electoral vote or even with the winning candidate losing the popular vote, the Electoral College is more consequential than e...

In a session that was seemingly aimed at severely limiting long standing precedent and restraining the powers of the administrative state, there were five cases focused on administrative law. From the Chevron Doctrine to the SEC and the EPA, the high court touched on many parts of the administrative state. For this episode, we are joined by Professor Doug Williams. Professor Williams is an expert...

Two years following the Dobbs decision, the country’s highest court is grappling with the aftereffects. This year the Supreme Court handed down two related cases regarding the use of mifepristone and the application of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act in states where abortions are banned. To discuss these cases, the implications, and we can expect in the future we are joined by Profes...

In a watershed ruling regarding executive powers, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Trump v United States that presidents should be immune from prosecution for official actions they took while in office. While historically presidents have enjoyed some level of immunity, this ruling expands that greatly. To discuss this monumental ruling and the implications for the future of the presidency,...

Each June delivers some high-profile decisions from the United States Supreme Court. One notable case this year is Vidal v Elster where the Court rejected an attempt to force the Patent and Trademark Office to accept the registration of “Trump too small” as a trademark for t-shirts mocking the former president. In this episode, we are joined by Professor Yvette Liebesman to discuss the case, the d...

With an election case involving who is on the ballot headed to the United States Supreme Court and various others bubbling to the surface, this election season promises to be filled with excitement. Between voter access, gerrymandering cases, elected officials pushed out of their district these are certainly unprecedented times. In this episode we are joined by election law expert Josh Douglas. Pr...

Nearly every day we see a new headline about a labor union in the news. From the recent Writers Guild agreement to the ongoing United Auto Workers strike and the numerous health care walk outs; labor unions are once again changing the game in the workplace. Why the influx in strikes in the labor movement? What does this mean for the future of labor in the United States? In this episode we are join...

The Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious college admissions that was handed down over the summer has rocked higher education and has forced colleges and universities across the country to examine their processes. But the implications of this case go far beyond campus. The decision has unleashed a new wave of political and legal attacks against corporate America’s anti-discrimination polic...

Earlier this year, the United States Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in the voting rights case of Allen v Milligan. To the surprise of voting rights advocates across the country, the Court decided that the Alabama’s redistricting plan violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Just today, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the decision, handing a defeat to Alabama Republicans for the sec...

As a country, we are still grappling with the impact of the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health decision. There is no community of professionals more impacted than the medical professionals that treat women on a regular basis. In this episode we are joined by Professor Molly Wilson, an expert in law and psychology who holds a Ph. D. in psychology in addition to her J.D. She also serves the law school a...

Labor unions seem to be having a moment. That is at least according to a recent Gallup poll that shows US approval of labor unions at the highest point since 1965. The latest approval figure comes amid a burst of 2022 union victories across the country,with high-profile successes at major American corporations such as Amazon and Starbucks. The National Labor Relations Board has even reported a 57%...

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical ambiguities in state law, especially in regard to the ownership and responsibility of public health orders. Governors often relied on a general statutory power to take 'necessary' actions in response to COVID's threats. Yet, some courts found this statutory authority was so vague that it violated the separation of powers, and they set aside vital public...

According to President Biden, the COVID-19 pandemic is over. However, there are still millions of Americans that are feeling the lasting effects of their own battle with the virus. As the medical and legal field struggle to catch up with this ongoing issue, there are concerns that what is known as long COVID will result in additional racial health disparities on top of those that occurred during t...

In September, after spending 23 years of his life behind bars, Adnan Syed walked free. His case was popularized by the podcast Serial in 2014. At the age of 18, 17 when the crime took place, Syed was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee and sentenced to life in prison. The case has brought to light many issues with the justice system, including deficient counsel and Brady violation...

Netflix's hit show Bridgerton has taken the world by storm. The Regency era piece set in London has had everyone talking since it premiered in late 2020. It should not be surprising that the show has inspired lots of fan fiction. When the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear was shown live in concert for a profit, Netflix filed a lawsuit for "blatant infringement of prope...

When the United States Supreme Court handed down a decision overturning Roe v. Wade earlier this year, they left us with a host of questions and scenarios to grapple with in the meantime. With the future of data privacy on the line, we turn to Dr. Michael Sinha, professor of law in the Center for Health Law Studies. Dr. Sinha is an expert in health law, intellectual property, and pharmaceutical po...

This year's United States Supreme Court session was one of the most consequential in recent history. Beyond the Dobbs decision reversing the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, the Court also ruled on Miranda rights, prayer in public schools and the right to open carry. Many of the rulings have left even our top legal minds with more questions than answers. In this episode, we are joined by Professor Chad Fla...

We are now into the second month of the war in Ukraine. The war, the weapons and the response from the world seem to change with the tide of the conflict. In this episode we are joined by Professor Afonso Seixas Nunes. Fr Afonso is a Jesuit priest who joined the law school faculty this fall. He is originally from Portugal and is an expert in international criminal law and has spent much of the pas...